Kerry keep faith

Darran O’Sullivan senses start of a new era in the Kingdom as the team prepares for Cork. Some talk of transition but he can only see the quality

Darren O'Sullivan has vowed to take on a greater responsibility as a senior player
Photograph: Fergal Phillips

T
his weekend last year Darran O’Sullivan landed down to Miami with the Gooch and Pat Sullivan from Killarney, a few boys that came with him from New York and a couple of thousand bucks burning a hole in his pocket. Superbowl money. It was a lot of tickets to find on a big day, but the boys found a way. Two sets from two separate sellers, barely a row apart from each other. Face value. Great seats.

On their way in, they paused at a stall outside the stadium hosting a kicking competition. Cooper and O’Sullivan thought about taking part, but the queue went on forever. O’Sullivan took a look at the throwing stall instead, watched one punter hurl the ball 50 yards, and thought better of it. O’Sullivan often watched football back home, but he wasn’t hardcore like Kieran Donaghy and Micheál Quirke. Once in a while they might